Grain-drier.



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NVENTOR W CORNWALL GRAIN'DRIER. APPLIGATION FILED AUG Patented Jan; 9,1912.

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J. B. CORNWALL.

, GRAIN DRIER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5,1911.

1,014,122. Patentgd Jams, 1912.

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COLUMBIA FLANOURAPH CO" WASHINGTON, DJ

J. B. CORNWALL.

GRAIN DRIER. 1 APPLICATION FILED AUG 5, 19 11. 1,014,122, Patented Jan.9, 1912.

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JOHN B. CORNWALL, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAR-HARD AND LEASMANU- FACTUBING COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. CORNWALL, of Moline, in the county of RockIsland and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grain-Briers; and I hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in grain driers constructed with adouble wall tower havingboth its inner and outer walls perforated forthe passage of air, the grain passing down the annular space between theinner and outer wall' of the tower. There have been practical objectionsto this type of drier as heretofore constructed owing to the obstructionof the grain by the air pipes. It has been customary to make severalentrances for the air through the walls and through the layer of grainpassing between the two walls, in order to introduce the air inside ofthe inner wall, the air passing out through the walls and intermediatelayer of grain, accomplishing the drying of the latter. Where thispractice is followed the grain will collect or pyramid on top of the airpipes bet-ween the walls and stop the flow of grain at this point, therebeing no means for the grain to escape around the pipes as the annularspace between the walls is entirely full. This makes the drier operateirregularly as it has a tendency to over-dry and injure a portion of thegrain. In the present invention the air is introduced into the upper endof the tower above the annular layer of grain, the grainpassing aroundthe conical closure of the top of the inner wall into the channelbetween the two walls of the tower while the air is passed through thisconical closure directly into the space inside the inner wall.

Where the tower is to be used both for heating and cooling grain, Iemploy a tower-section at the point of division which entirely separatesthe two processes, the cold air being introduced at thispoint into thelower section in the same manner that the hot air is introduced at thetop of the tower. In this way I entirely eliminate any possibility ofthe grain pyramiding over the air pipes, and the annular passage for thegrain is entirely unobstructed, consequently the flow of the grain isalways reg ular and uniform.

The grain is discharged from the lower end of the tower by a revolvingdisk. The amount or rate of discharge is regulated by a sleeve on theend of the outlet pipe, which is raised or lowered, thus changing thespace between the disk and the bottom of the pipe. In this way I am ableto absolutely control the amount of grain passing through the drier sothat grain requiring more or less treatment can be caused to reach anydesired degree of dryness.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practical form ofapparatus embodying the invention, and will describe the same in detailand summarize the novel features and combination of parts for which Idesire protection in the claims.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete graindrier, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectional view of the intermediate section connectingthe hot and cold air sections of the tower. Fig. 4 is an enlargedvertical section of the discharge end of the tower. Fig. 5 is a detailside view of the discharge devices.

The drying tower, as shown, is preferably composed of three principalsections, to wit, an upper heating or hot air section A; a lower coolingor cold air section G; and an intermediate intercepting section B. Thesesections are preferably cylindric in cross section.

The section A is composed of an outer perforated wall 1 and an innerperforated wall 2 which may be of reticulated metal and are preferablycylindrical in form and are spaced apart so as to leave between them anarrow annular space for the passage of grain. The upper end of theinner cylinder or wall 2 is closed by a conical cap 2 which acts as adistributer for the grain, which is fed into the upper end of the towerby any suitable means. The upper part 1 of the outer cylinder or wall 1,surrounding cone 2, is preferably imperforate. The cylinders or walls 1and 2 may be formed in sections of any desired length united in anysuitable manner, so as to make the section A of any desired height,according to the desired capacity of the drier. Hot air is admitted intothe upper end of the cylinder Patented Jan. 9,1912.

2 in section A by a pipe 3, which may be connected with any suitable hotair supply, (a heater 3 and blower 3 being indicated in the drawings),and such air passes down into cylinder 2 and escapes laterally therefromand passes through the surrounding annular layer of grain,heating anddrying the latter,-and escapes through the perforations in the outerwall 1.

The grain may be fed into the upper end of section A, above cone 2 byany suitable means, and is distributed by said cone into the annularspace between the walls and completely fills the latter and descends inan annular column uniformly and uninterruptedly through said space tothe discharge, at the lower end of the section.

The section A can completely dry the grain but it is frequently desiredto cool the grain after drying, and before storing it in bins, orsending it to the mill. Therefore I prefer to conduct the grain from theheating section A into a lower section C; and in order to effectuallyseparate the hot and cold sections of the apparatus I provide anintermediate section B which consists of an outer imperforate cylinderor wall 4: connected to the lower end of wall 1. In this section B is aninverted conical hopper 4 which receives the grain from the lower end ofsection A; and above the conical hopper 4 is an inverted cone 2" whichcloses the lower end of the inner wall 2, but is preferably providedwith a small aperture 2 at its bottom to permit any dust, etc, to escapeinto the hopper 4 The hopper 4 has a central opening through which thegrain is discharged onto a cone 4 secured in the lower part of section Band which closes the upper end of the inner cylinder or wall 6 of thecooling section 0.

The cooling section 0 is constructed substantially like the section A;having an outer annular perforated wall or cylinder connected at top tothe lower end of wall 4.; and having an inner annular wall or cylinder 6connected at top to cone 4:", so that said cone 4* distributes the grainfed into section B uniformly into the annular space between theperforated walls 5 and 6 of section C, and the grain descends in anunbroken annular stream through said space to the lower end of sectionC, where it enters a discharge hopper 5 in the lower part of wall 5. Thelower end of wall 6 is closed by an inverted cone 6" similar to cone 2.The cones 2 4 6", and hoppers P, 5*, are preferably imperforate. Coolair is admitted into the interior of the wall of cylinder 6 by a pipe 7,which passes through the wall 4 and enters cone 4 said pipe 7 may besupplied with cool air in any desired. way; as shown it is connected toa blower 7 beside blower 8 and both blowers 3 7 may be driven from acommon motor M.

The travel of the grain through the drier is regulated by means of adisk 8 mounted to rotate on a vertical shaft 8 below the outlet ofhopper 5". Said disk 8 substantially closes the end of the outlet pipe 5connected to the outlet ofhopper 5 The space between the disk 8 and pipe5 is regulable by a collar 5 which is loosely fitted on the lower end ofpipe 5 and is connected therewith by means of inclined slots 5 engagingpins 5 so that if the collar is properly turned it can be raised, orlowered. The collar 5 may be rotated for adjustment by a lever 5engaging a nut 5 on a hand operated screw shaft 5 The grain escapesunder the lower edge of the collar 5 and over the edge of the disk 8,which may be rotated at a given speed by any suitable means. As shownshaft 8 is driven by bevel gears 8, 8 from a counter shaft 8", whichcould be belted to the motor M, or other suitable driver. The grain isdischarged into a cup 9 surrounding the disk 8, and collar, and havingan opening in its bottom communicating with a chute 9 by which the driedgrain may be directed to any suitable receiver. The disk 8 may beprovided with radial flanges 8 on its under side to sweep grain into thechute.

The operation of the drier will be obvious from the foregoingdescription; and its advantages are accuracy in operation; continuousand uniform movement of the grain; even and thorough drying of thegrain; entire insulation of the hot and cold sections withoutretardation or change of direction of flow of grain in either direction;effective regulation of the feed of the grain through the drier; andthrough utilization of all the air admitted thereinto, either in dryingor cooling.

that I claim is:

1. In a grain drier, the combination of an upper heating drying sectionand a lower cooling section. each having internal and externalperforated walls; with an intermediate section having an imperforatewall, and a hopper in said intermediate section receiving grain from theupper heating section and discharging it into the lower section.

2. In a grain drier, the combination of an upper annular heatingsection, and a lower annular cooling section, each having internal andexternal perforated walls; an intermediate section having an imperforatewall, a hopper in said intermediate section receiving grain from theupper heating section, and an inverted cone receiving grain from saidhopper and distributing it into the lower section; with means forintroducing hot air into the upper section above the grain passagetherein; means for introducing cool air into the lower section above thegrain passage therein; and means for regulating the discharge of grainfrom said lower section.

3. In combination with a grain drier having a discharge outlet, a rotarydisk below the outlet, means for rotating said disk, a cup surroundingthe disk, a chute con 5 nected with said cup; said disk having flangeson its under side to direct grain into said chute.

4. The combination with a grain drier having a discharge pipe at bottom,of a ro- 10 tary disk below the lower end of the pipe, means forrotating said disk, an adjustable collar on the lower end of the pipeCopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe for regulating the escape grain over the edge of said disk; a cupsurrounding the disk, and a chute connected with said cup, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aiiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. CORNWALL.

Witnesses:

M. H. RoMIG, E. P. CHURCHILL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

